Sinn Féin - On Your Side

Rural Communities denied equal level of access to services

Sinn Féin TD for Cavan/Monaghan Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin today criticized the
Government's failure to fulfil their commitments on Rural Development, citing
the closure of hospital services, post offices and garda stations as "part
of the avoidable decline of rural Ireland".

Deputy Ó Caoláin said:

"Sinn Féin's argument is that every person, no matter where they are, ought
to be entitled to an equal level of access to and provision of public
services; be that health, transport, education, post offices or banking. The
reality for many rural communities is very different. Many of these services
are either non-existent or have been withdrawn from these communities. That
is clearly illustrated by the health crisis within the regions. The loss of
services at local hospitals must be seen as part of the avoidable decline of
rural Ireland - a decline for which the Government is responsible. Monaghan
and Louth hospitals have already been targeted. Under the Hanly Report,
further hospitals will go under the knife. The reference to health in the
government amendment cannot hide that reality. In the area of health there
are relatively minor administrative measures that could be taken to
integrate ambulance services so that people could be taken to the nearest
available hospital rather than having to travel longer distances that might
place them in greater danger.

"Farm incomes in real terms have fallen by almost 25% since 1995, according
to the Central Statistics Office. This, in combination with current debt
levels of E1.1 billion, has made it increasingly difficult for many family
farms to survive. Over 30,000 people have left farming since the beginning
of the 1990s.

The majority of these have been smaller producers and this has had a malign
and devastating effect on rural communities. It has made it more difficult
for local businesses to survive, and it has not been compensated for by an
increase in other types of jobs in sufficient numbers to offset the recent
increases in unemployment. The main reason for the real fall in farm incomes
has been the declining share that farmers receive from the products which
they sell - it is not unusual for farmers to receive 30 or 25 or even 20% of
the price that the consumer pays. There is an argument for a return to real
co-operativism to enable farmers to secure the best price for their produce
and to limit the power of the multiples.

Although rural communities are not exclusively based on farming, it is
important that agriculture remains strong and vibrant and provides both
employment and the basis for other rural jobs such as processing. If the EU
is committed to maintaining the European model of agriculture based on
family farming, then measures must be taken to ensure that the current drift
from the land is halted. In the context of the current reform of the CAP,
that must mean that decoupling provides farmers with a guaranteed income,
but also that the Irish Government develops new strategies to take best
advantage of the new situation facing farmers. It must also mean that the
funds taken away from direct payments through modulation are ring-fenced
within the country they originate from, and that they are made to directly
benefit the farmers from whom the funds are taken. These funds should be
used here in Ireland for rural development.

"Another area where this Government is abandoning its commitments is in the
area of community-based policing. Only last week, Minister McDowell was
speaking about closing more Garda stations in rural and urban areas. This
often has a particularly marked impact on rural communities where people see
the withdrawal of local Gardaí as another form of abandonment by the State.
People, and especially the elderly in isolated rural areas feel vulnerable
in the absence of a visible and known Garda presence. Sinn Féin proposes
that this problem can be addressed through the establishment of Community
Policing Partnerships. These would comprise elected representatives,
appointees of local statutory agencies, and representatives of the community
and voluntary sector. These Partnerships would meet regularly with the
Gardaí and ensure that a greater level of accountability and confidence
is nurtured.

"Empowering rural communities - decentralization - does not just mean the
relocation of Government offices from Dublin - it means the real empowerment
of local government. This is especially important for many of our
marginalised and neglected rural communities, particularly in the Border,
Midlands and Western region. " ENDS